Young Loses Governor Runoff

Democrats Nominate Moderate Miller In Georgia

ATLANTA — Former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young lost his bid to become Georgia`s first black governor Tuesday, losing the Democratic runoff to Lt. Gov. Zell Miller, a politically moderate white.

With 93 percent of precincts reporting, Miller had 536,242 votes, or 63 percent, and Young had 319,352 votes, or 37 percent.

In the days just before the election, Young, a former congressman and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, campaigned hard in black neighborhoods and churches.

Before the July 17 primary, Young spent most of his time wooing whites in the small towns of rural Georgia, among the piney woods and peanut farms where racism remains most firmly rooted.

``Young made a mistake targeting the whites who were least likely to vote for him,`` said Merle Black, an Emory University political scientist. Not only did Young fail to win the rural white vote, it appeared Tuesday night that he didn`t inspire blacks to go to the polls in huge numbers.

A number of prominent blacks, including Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson, refused to endorse Young. Some argued that, despite his history as a civil-rights leader, Young had ignored blacks during his eight years as mayor.

What`s more, Young never found an issue that roused supporters, unlike Miller, who won voters by championing a state lottery.

Race was never a volatile topic in the campaign, and it was a subject that Young avoided in most appearances.

However polite the campaign rhetoric, though, race was a subtle but significant factor.

``The state`s not as conservative as it once was,`` Black said. ``But there`s still is an element of racial voting, for whites and blacks.``

Miller was a formidable opponent. He had 16 years of state political experience, raised $2 million, ran an efficient campaign and was liberal enough on such issues as abortion not to offend many who might otherwise have voted for Young.